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NYC Fire Museum
Category: Arts & Entertainment Museums Museums [Edit]
278 Spring St(between Varick St & Hudson St)
New York, NY 10013
Neighborhood: South Village
(212) 691-1303
- Nearest Transit:
-
Spring St (A, C, E)
Canal St (1, 2)
Houston St (1, 2)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10 am - 5 pm
Sun 10 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
13 reviews for NYC Fire Museum
Review Highlights
"Small museum, but it's two stories and suggested donation."
(in 4 reviews)
"The second floor is dedicated to 9/11 and was very touching."
(in 4 reviews)
"Kids are encouraged to try on some firefighter gear."
(in 3 reviews)
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13 reviews in English
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Review from David P.
8/31/2009 1 photo
Fun for both young and old, this museum is a bargain at $5 (the suggested donation). The collection is on the first two floors and there is a large event space on the third floor of the firehouse. It would be a very cool place for a child's birthday party. There were a bunch of kids trying on fire helmets and coats. (Is there anything better when you're a young boy?)
The collection is pretty remarkable. It's a walk through the history of NYC firefighting. The museum features: fire trucks, old hose carts, artwork, uniforms, gear, and even some taxidermy (a beloved stuffed firehouse dog!). The museum gift shop is mainly for the kids.
There are two rooms devoted to 9/11 on the first floor. To say that I was moved is a profound understatement. -
Review from Mike C.
I lucked out in a sense because it admittance is free for military as this museum is part of the "Blue Star Museums" where participating museums allow military members free entrance between Memorial day and Labor day weekend.
It's a two story museum that houses a lot of NY fire department stuff since the 18th century. There are several, really old fire trucks, some were steam driven and some were horse carried. Lots of paintings dating back from the 1800s as well.
Kids are encouraged to try on some firefighter gear. There's also a small memorial out in the patio with many pictures of the 343 firefighters and EMT personnel who died on 9/11. A ladder 52 sign that was destroyed during that time is out on display as well. Next to the memorial, you can see video footage from 9/11. Pretty eery and solemn stuff as you enter these exhibits.
Even if you don't have a military discount, it's pretty cheap coming in anyway. $8 for regular admission, $5 for students, seniors and children.Listed in: Cultured Club, Military Appreciation
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Review from Lili K.
2/21/2011
Small museum, but it's two stories and suggested donation.
The downstairs part is fun-you get to try on the heavy firefighter outfits and pose for pictures by their trucks. This would be a great place to bring kids to as well. Not crowded at all, so you have plenty of time to walk around, play with the props, and snap photos.
The second floor is dedicated to 9/11 and was very touching. So sad to read all the news and info, but a good dedication spot to honor our fellow heroes.Listed in: free spots
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Review from Diana B.
New York, NY
2/14/2006
Cool former firehouse with former firefighters giving tours of the history of NYC firefighting. All sorts of paraphernalia related to the art.
Great for kids' parties.
http://www.nycfiremuse... -
Review from Pinky and the B.
New York, NY
11/13/2010
A great museum for all children especially boys. This museum is good especially for New Yorkers. I have been here as a
chaperon on a class trip. All children seem to love it. The energy of
the tour guides makes it exciting and fun.
The museum also offers fire safety simulations where visitors
experience a simulation of a real fire in a NYC apartment complete
with theatrical smoke, lasers and black lights to make it seem very
real, but these education tours must be reserved for groups of at
least 20. But, anyone can visit the museum though and see the
collection of historical fire fighting equipment including pre-civil
war hand-pump fire engines, horse-drawn engines through early
motorized engines. A series of mannequins display fire fighting
uniforms.
Like most museums in
NYC they have events and birthday party's for children.
The firefighter volunteers who staff the museum are as excited about
talking to the children as the children are to see the fire trucks
and try on the firefighter hats.
They have coloring books and literature for you and your children.
This is another reason why NYC is a great city to raise children in!Listed in: Only in New York, raise a child. But for the tribe of…">The Nanny Diaries, and we'd talk about life. Those…">A Night at the Museum
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Review from John T.
Hoboken, NJ
8/15/2008
A diamond in the rough. This place is definitely not easy to find. It's in the tip of TriBeCa and SoHo, near-ish to the Holland tunnel and theres almost nothing surrounding it except office buildings and small shops. But a definite must see if you're in the area. They've got almost everything you want to see about the fireman's history. From water carriages to modern equipment. There's also an area about the 9/11 incident and a place where you can pay homage to the people who's lives were lost. Very inspirational.
It's worth the visit. -
Review from Harry M.
Boston, MA
7/26/2011
This is a great museum. My 8 yr old son loved it and I had a good time too.
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Review from Al K.
New York, NY
11/16/2010
Come on now, we've all been to MoMa and the Met. Try this out of the way small museum that will take you back to the volunteer firefighters all through the city. Great for kids of all ages....
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Review from Geraldine K.
New York, NY
5/16/2010
** Caveat: This review is not an assessment of the museum itself and its exhibits **
I came here for a charity benefit and from the outside of it, I was skeptical of how this place could actually accommodate this event. But upon entering it, going through the ground floor and seeing the various artifacts and displays, and inadvertently stopping by the second floor (to get to the 3rd, which was where the event was held), I was surprised that there was a museum in NYC dedicated to firemen. What global cosmopolitan city caters to this niche? Seriously, welcome to NYC - it has nearly everything! The third floor was nicely done up for rather casual affair, which was the intention. This was not the glitzy Met Museum Gala btw, but it served its purpose. The third floor has brick walls and could be nice venue space, not to mention holding events here would be another way to support this tiny institution. One way for families to spend a beautiful Saturday with the kids is to stop by here, get lunch afterwards in SoHo, and head to Central Park. -
Review from Astrid G.
2/23/2009
What a find! I learned a lot about New York City history from visiting the NYC Fire Museum and the exhibits/artifacts are well-maintained and beautifully displayed. The 9/11 exhibit is really well done...walking through it made me very emotional. The museum staff was very helpful and welcoming. Well worth the $5 suggested admission.
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Review from Sandra D.
Brooklyn, NY
2/6/2011
Wonderful museum for adults and children of all ages. The antique vehicles are impressive. The second floor 19th century exhibit was fascinating and beautiful. The 9/11 exhibit brought tears to my eyes. I remember it like it was yesterday. I can't believe it is 10 years this year. They did a good job for the limited space they have. The museum needs to expand as well as an infusion of cash donations in order to do so. I think there is so much more history they probably can showcase. Suggested donation is $7 for adults and $5 for children under 12. I wouldn't look to cheat this fine museum out of the donation. Pay the full donation. It deserves it and more. For a large metropolis like New York, this museum should be a world-class institution.
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Review from k s.
Bryant, WI
6/26/2010
Suggested admissions as everyone else has been saying. 2 blocks away from the subway. It does skip a time period since it goes from the 1900's to 9/11 but upstairs they have the in between stuff from 1900s-1950s. Great for field trips.
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Review from Alexis L.
Brooklyn, NY
11/5/2009
The real score is 3.5 but let's round up. The suggested donation is $5/adult but you just put your cash in a vintage fire hydrant so all of you cheap dates (like my husband) can shove a dollar bill in with minimal embarrassment. Only two floors, this is not a comprehensive overview of the FDNY and actually seems to jump from the early 1900's to 9/11 without a lot of content in-between but the vintage engines and equipment are very interesting. The second floor is dedicated to parading regalia of turn-of-the-century volunteer fire departments and is less engaging but really pretty. Noticeably absent are any discussions of the role of women, various white ethnic groups or people of color in the FDNY or any of the controversies regarding affirmative action. There's also little about station living, besides a section on FDNY horses and dogs. Overall, the museum is still somewhat incomplete but still worth seeing.
